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REVEALED: El Gato Negro Secure King Street Site
Celebrated tapas restaurant confirm three floor city centre location
EL Gato Negro - the celebrated Michelin Bib Gourmand tapas restaurant by chef Simon Shaw that left behind windy ole Ripponden for bigger, better, bolder Manchester - has finally secured a site in the city centre.
“52 King Street is the perfect destination for us. It’s a fantastic building – inviting and airy with great ceiling heights that are so very typical of a traditional tapas bar – it feels like it was made for El Gato Negro”
El Gato Negro will occupy 52 King Street (pictured above) - the classic and elegant mid-Victorian former-retail unit between The Kooples and The Pen Shop - and take residence over three floors 'with a stunning conversion sympathetic to the building’s heritage and location'.
52 King Street site
El Gato Negro - artist's impression with 'al fresco' dining
The news follows pre-Christmas disappointment for Shaw and his team after 'landlord issues' caused their move to the former-Brasserie Blanc site on Chapel Walks to fall through (read here). Happily the new place is so much better they probably can't believe their good fortune.
El Gato Negro were also said to be interested in the newly-vacant Room site at 81 King Street before the clout of Tim Bacon and Living Ventures saw off any competition - see here.
The team have since been in talks for a number of alternative venues in the city centre before securing the prime King Street spot.
El Gato Negro's seafood paella
El Gato Negro's Simon Shaw
Speaking on the announcement, El Gato Negro Founder and Chef Patron Simon Shaw said:
“Bringing El Gato Negro to Manchester is a timely opportunity to showcase a broader selection of the dishes and wines I’m so passionate about. There’s a massive resurgence in the new British wave of Spanish restaurants and we want to go further with the dining experience we pioneered almost ten years ago.
“The redevelopment of King Street, one of Manchester’s best addresses, presents us with the opportunity not only to bring El Gato Negro to Manchester but to play a significant role in shaping the heart of the city.
“52 King Street is the perfect destination for us. It’s a fantastic building – inviting and airy with great ceiling heights that are so very typical of a traditional tapas bar – it feels like it was made for El Gato Negro.”
El Gato Negro is the latest in a number of food and drink operators staging a resurgence on the flagging retail street, with Quill restaurant now confirmed for 20-22 King Street and Ed's Easy Diner rumoured to be heading into the former-Monsoon unit at number 15.
El Gato Negro is the big one too. Here is a recognised regional food leader moving onto the street in a charming building. Ed's to many people doesn't feel right, an Americana fast food joint seemingly out of kilter with what was high-status King Street. El Gato Negro is much more like it.
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Now this does look good, real good.
Brilliant news.
This will be a great addition to King Street. I do hope the deal with the tacky burger chain to go into the beautiful former Monsoon building falls through though. That building is crying out for something altogether more classy.
Yes. An old fashioned tea room.
Agree Totally, claw back King Street's former elegance.
If we could get them to cross the border, Betty's would be perfect. Someone get them on the phone!
Finally, the Food Quarter is taking shape.
Amazing restaurant and brilliant location. Please god no more "dirty food" or "real burger" restaurants in Manchester! A 700 we already have is more than enough!
A fantstic location for El Gato Negro. Very sad to lose them from Ripponden village but we will visiting the new site as soon as they open. Simon is a master of Spanish food and we can't wait to visit. Well done Simon.
More great news for the city.
We had a great dining experience at El Gato negro. Glad they're moving into Manc.
Looks GREAT & A TEA room instead of that DINER place any day...Investors should LISTEN?
Aye...nothing against Ed's Diner, but that Monsoon site is surely suited for something else. The tea room is a perfect idea. Great news on this El Gate Negro move however. The French Xmas markets worked well on King Street so I think it's the perfect game plan for this street - mix of 'nosh'* and 'posh'... * not that nosh...
Brilliant news. Have been waiting to hear where they were going to settle after the problems earlier. Totally agree about a tea shop for the Monsoon site. I remember going to tea shop in the between King St and St Annes Sq ... some years ago but nice memories.
Yeah Meng and Eckers - great place!
This is great news, i walk up king street evrry day , and think to myself , this street needs a revamp with wine bars and restaurants with outside seating areas , and apartments above , lets hope other investors take part in making king st the place to be
For those of a certain age, perhaps the former Monsoon shop could be a reincarnation of Meng and Ecker